Saturday, April 26, 2008

Alright folks, the time is upon us. ESPN's clock (that started with a day and half left) is down to under an hour. I'll be here likely through the first round (before passing out on red bull and vodkas while visions of Mel Kiper dance in my head) with photos, videos, and quote. I hope you can join in.

"The intangibles are off the chart."- Kirk Herbstreit on Matt Ryan

I thought intangibles are those things that can't be measured....now there's a chart for them?

Here's a quick update on the new timing and schedule for the draft in case you forgot or were not aware.....

» Only Rounds 1 and 2 will take place on Saturday. Previously, the first three rounds of the draft were conducted on Saturday.» The draft will start at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, three hours later than the previous start time.» The time allocated for each pick in Round 1 will be 10 minutes. Previously, the first round time was 15 minutes.» The time allocated for each pick in Round 2 will be seven minutes. Previously, it was 10 minutes.» Round 3 will be moved to Sunday and remain at five minutes per selection. (Rounds 4-7 will also remain at five minutes per pick.)» Sunday, the draft starts at 10 a.m. ET, rather than 11 a.m. ET.

10 minutes per pick is a godsend, but I still wished they had started at noon. Oooh lookie there. You can have your ESPN comment featured on the broadcast. Who's going to try first?

Did Chris Berman really just wish Sal Pal a "happy draft"?!?! Come on. Also, ESPN....how the hell was Brandon Lloyd a "Key Loss"?! He had two receptions last year.

On NFL-N: Deion Sanders is "warming up the crowd" by interviewing the top draft prospects from the podium. This is an official "Unintentional Humor Alert". (Via Mal)

I really wish ESPN would stop ruining the picks by showing the kids getting phone calls.

Jacksonville gets: 1st (8)Baltimore gets: 1st (26), 3rd, 3rd, and 4th

Wow! Great trade for the Ravens.

9. Cincinnati Bengals

Keith Rivers6'3" 237lbsUSC- LB

I love how NFL Network is advertising its draft coverage on ESPN during the WWL's draft coverage. (Via Mal)

I noticed that as well. Good move by the NFL-N. Brian Billick looks pissed as hell that he's at this draft.

10. New England Patriots

Jerod Mayo6'2" 235lbsTennessee- LB

Why does it always seem like the Patriots know something the rest of the league doesn't?

"Tom Brady makes magic for me."- Charles Davis

Gross.

11. Buffalo Bills

Leodis McKelvin5'10" 186lbsTroy- CB

Jared "Hold the" Mayo -- DRINK! (Via Jay)

Ugh. We should have drank for every commercial on ESPN. Unbelievable.

"Do you know what Pats opponents will get 15 years for next year? Holding the Mayo."- Chris Berman (Via Mal)

Hahahahaha. Since when is holding 15 yards??!!

12. Denver Broncos

Ryan Clady6'6" 309lbsBoise State- OT

Do you think everyone else at ESPN just rolls their eyes and laughs at Berman behind his back? (Via Bruce)

Yes...yes I do. Same with Emmitt.

13. Carolina Panthers

Jonathan Stewart5'11" 230lbsOregon- RB

That's a small stretch right there, but if his toe is okay he'll be a good combo back. NFL-Network is interview Bill Belichick right now and he's actually wearing a suit and tie! Amazing.

He looks like Shooter (Dennis Hopper's character) from Hoosiers when he was asst coach. (Via Mal)

Hahahahaha.

"Rex Grossman is a late bloomer, I mean a REALLY late bloomer."- Steve Young

14. Chicago Bears

Chris Williams6'6" 315lbsVanderbilt- OT

"I think Running Back makes the pick for the Lions here."- Keyshawn Johnson

Huh? Another trade. KC trades with Detroit for pick 15.

15. Kansas City Chiefs (From Detroit)

Branden Albert6'6" 309lbsVirginia- OT

Dorsey and Albert are great great picks.

Chiefs get: 1st (15)Lions get: 1st (17), 3rd, 5th

Just flipped to NFL Network and got the details on that trade right away. ESPN is about 5 minutes behind on everything today. The NFL-N is killing them.

Adam Schefter says the Cardinals are picking between Rodgers-Cromartie and Mendenhall. That kid is scooping everything today.

16. Arizona Cardinals

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie6'1" 180lbsTennessee State- CB

Deion just lost his shit when Goodell announced that pick. I also can't believe that Detroit is actually being extremely smart today. They were probably going to pick between DRC and Mendenhall anyway and they get more picks out of it.

Annnnnnnd ESPN just missed an entire pick because they were on commercial.

17. Detroit Lions

Gosder Cherilus6'6" 313lbsBoston College- OT

Baltimore has just traded with the Texans and they're on the clock. They must be getting antsy about that QB. And they look to be taking Joe Flacco.

18. Baltimore Ravens (From Houston)

Joe Flacco6'6" 236lbsDelaware- QB

Has Chris Mortensen ever worked on TV before? Today he's constantly stuttering whenever someone says something in his earpiece, and he's been talking during almost every transition back to Berman from commercial/studio/reporters. (Via Jay)

He's so bad it's unbelievable. If Keyshawn is better than you, you have a problem. Wow. Mort and Herbie just went at each other about the QB's in the NFL.

Adam Schein and crew are going nuts over this Flacco pick. They dont get why Bal traded up to get him when the next 6 teams who are drafting dont need a QB. (Via Marc)

Yeah I have no idea why they did it either. Another trade....Eagles and Panthers flip flop.

19. Carolina Panthers (From Philly)

Jeff Otah6'6" 341lbsPittsburgh- OT

And great job by Keyshawn talking over the Commissioner's speech with military members on stage. They are horrible today. They should really just let Tirico, Jaws, and Herbstreit do the draft and send the rest home.

Good pick....character issues or not. Okay here's where the Redskins shock the world and take someone completely random.

"Vinny Cerrato great at evaluating talent."- Mel Kiper

Has Mel even seen the draft picks that the Skins have made?!?!?! What the hell is he talking about? YES! A trade. Skins give their spot to Atlanta.

21. Atlanta Falcons (From Washington)

Sam Baker6'4" 309lbsUSC- OT

That was a horrible horrible trade for Atlanta.

Hey AA? Would you have to drink the entire bottle if Berman makes a reference to The Killers when Brandon Flowers gets drafted? (Via Andrew)

Yes....definitely.

22. Dallas Cowboys

Felix Jones5'10" 207lbsArkansas- RB

Great pick by the 'Boys. They draft so damn well every year. And ESPN ruins yet another pick by showing Rashard Mendenhall and friends. He's going to the Steelers.

23. Pittsburgh Steelers

Rashard Mendenhall5'10" 215lbsIllinois- RB

And ESPN misses ANOTHER live pick! Good lord. I can't take this anymore.

24. Tennessee Titans

Chris Johnson5'11" 197lbsEast Carolina- RB

Wow. Just wow. That was a horrible pick for them right there.

Chris Johnson looks like the lead singer from Sexual Chocolate. (Via Mal)

Sexual Chocolate!!!

Not only is ESPN's "A-Team" sucking balls, but Kiper and Boomer have been arguing and trading glares all afternoon. I bet mel uses his beak to peck Berman to death after he lets out Malcolm "Regis &" Kelly. (Via Jim)

Yet another trade. Dallas moves up and takes Seattle's spot.

25. Dallas Cowboys (From Seattle)

Michael Jenkins5'11" 200lbsSouth Florida- CB

Again! Dallas with another great pick.

The Lions are being smart? Gosder Cherilus is not worthy of a mid-1st round pick, in my opinion. Of course the Lion's O-line is terrible, but Philip Merling would have been a smarter selection. Either that or trade down again. Cherilus gets beat by some more athletic D-lineman and has a tendency to lose his cool. (Via Eric)

Well they were being smart until they made the pick. Schefter is saying Dwayne Brown is going to be picked as a sleeper here.

26. Houston Texans

Duane Brown6'4" 315lbsVirginia Tech- OT

He's such a sleeper, I don't even have a picture of him. And great job by Adam Schefter....again.

Congratulations, Texans fans. The World Wide Leader in Sports announces your first round pick on a bottom of screen scroll because they had too many commercials and had to run a SC Right Now. Nice. (Via Mal)

This is just getting out of control. I'm glad the first round is ending so I can switch to NFL-N permanently. That's a good four picks they've missed and another three that they've talked over.

27. San Diego Chargers

Antoine Cason6'0" 191lbsArizona- CB

And that'll end your run on corners.

28. Seattle Seahawks

Lawrence Jackson6'4" 271lbsUSC- DE

Ummmmmmm.......who???? Phillip Merling was still available and they needed a Tight End. Horrible pick.

29. San Francisco 49ers

Kentwan Balmer6'4" 308lbsUNC- DT

Good pick right there. And with that pick it might be possible that no Wide Receivers are going to be taken in the first round. I don't think that's ever happened. Another trade as the Jets just moved into GB's spot.

Outside of the first ten picks, ESPNs team has called - I think - only two picks correctly: Flacco and F. Jones. Glad these smart guys are here to sort this out for us. (Via Mal)

30. New York Jets (from GB)

Dustin Keller6'2" 251lbsPurdue- TE

Schefter does it again! While ESPN was saying WR and Corner he predicted Keller. Jets fans of course boo the pick, but it's a good one.

30. New York Giants

Kenny Phillips6'2" 212lbsMiami- S

Another great pick for the Giants and the NFC East is reloading again. That's the end of the first round and the end of my day, but keep commenting as much as you want. I'll be adding videos and will tackle the media winners and losers in the next day or two. I think we all know which network came out the loser though. Terrible, terrible coverage.

And I don't understand why people can't say "Jaguars." Why do they say "Jag-wires"?? Come on, Mort, you're a TV NFL analyst; you should know how to say all 32 team names. Or at least abbreviate it to "Jags."

NFL-N team is actually more annoying than ESPN. Mooch is horrible. They keep referring to "Mayock-isms" and don't do any better at not talking over picks and trades. Billick, however, is actually pretty good.

Did ESPN just miss the 17th pick? Are they serious? There needs to be a article written on this draft coverage by a major newspaper or something. I dont think in my 15 year history of watching the draft, i have ever seen a whole pick missed because of commercial. Not even an apology from Bristol Clown College. Totally unbelievable and unacceptable

Has Chris Mortensen ever worked on TV before? Today he's constantly stuttering whenever someone says something in his earpiece, and he's been talking during almost every transition back to Berman from commercial/studio/reporters.

not only is ESPN's "A-Team" sucking balls, but kiper and boomer have been arguing and trading glares all afternoon. I bet mel uses his beak to peck berman to death after he lets out malcolm "regis &" kelly.

The Lions are being smart? Gosder Cherilus is not worthy of a mid-1st round pick, in my opinion. Of course the Lion's O-line is terrible, but Philip Merling would have been a smarter selection. Either that or trade down again. Cherilus gets beat by some more athletic D-lineman and has a tendency to lose his cool.

The Packers wont take Chad Henne or Brohm will they? I look at it this way. If they take a QB, Favre is not coming back. If they dont, he is retired. They need to take Brandon Flowers or the TE from Purdue.Im excited.. GO PACK GO

Oh man, Berman just referenced his leaked video about him talking about going up to Canada. Taking the deux-deux-deux. It was real sly, just as ESPN was going to another break before the Bills' 2nd round pick. Gotta find that clip, AA.

After talking about the latest Bills pick, Berman mentions that the Bills will be playing in Toronto this year and says: "if anyone gets hurt in that game, they can take some deus, deus, deus as anyone would know who has watched You Tube in the last few months". Awesome.